1. The Technical Field
The invention relates to a covering device for the load space of a motor vehicle with a flexible surface structure which is held, in a rollable or extendable manner, on a winding shaft supported solidly with the load space, whereby a coiled spring apparatus for exerting the force for rolling up onto the surface structure is assigned to the winding shaft, and whereby a form-stable extending element is positioned on one frontal end area of the surface structure.
2. The Prior Art
Such a covering device is generally known as a load space cover for a station wagon. The covering device has a modular casing, which is positioned behind a back seat in a manner connected solidly with the vehiclexe2x80x94that is to say, solidly connected with the load space. A winding shaft, on which a flexible surface structure in the form of a covering surface is held in a rollable or extendable manner, is rotatably supported inside the modular casing. The winding shaft is stressed in the direction of rolling up by means of a coiled spring, so that the covering surface is automatically drawn back and rolled up again after being extended and placed into the working position, as well as after a renewed releasing from the working position. A forward end area of the surface structure in the form of a covering surface is provided with an extending element in the form of a contour part, which is provided, on opposing sides, with suspension elements for fixing the covering surface within holding devices which are solidly connected with the motor vehicle. A handle opening, through which the unhinging of the contour part by hand and the manual drawing back of the covering surfaces into the modular casing can be carried out, is provided in the contour part. For the manual retraction, the corresponding operator must bend over into the load space and move the hand that has grasped the contour part all the way back to the modular casing.
It is the task of the invention to create a covering device of the type already stated, which makes possible a simplified moving of the surface structure from an extended working position into the rolled-up, resting position.
This task is solved through the fact that the surface structure is guided over its path of extension within the load space by means of a guiding device; that, at least one locking device for blocking the surface structure relative to the guiding device is provided in at least one partially-extended working position; and that, a manually-triggerable releasing device, by means of which the locking of the surface structure can be ended, is assigned to the locking device. By means of a simple triggering of the releasing device, the surface structure is consequently automatically drawn back into its resting position. The releasing device can be positioned solidly with the load space and/or with the surface structure. The locking device can also be positioned either in a stationary manner in the area of the guiding device, and/or on the forward end area of the surface structure, however.
In one development of the invention, two guiding sections positioned approximately horizontally in the load space on opposing sides of the surface structure are provided as a guiding device. By that means, the surface structure is flanked, on both sides, by the guiding sections and guided into the same.
In a further development of the invention, the forward end area of the surface structure is, within every guiding section, guided through a sliding element. The forward end area can be provided with a form-stable contour part which is provided over the entire width of the surface structure, which contour part also forms the extending element in the sense of the invention. In such a design, sliding heads can be provided on opposing sides of the contour part, which sliding heads serve as sliding elements for the guiding in the guiding section.
In a further development of the invention, a catching function element which is movably supported between a blocking position and a release position is assigned to each sliding element, which catching function element is spring-stressed by a spring element into the blocking position, with which element the releasing device engages for the temporary conveying of the catching function element into the release position. The sliding element itself can form the catching function element, or a corresponding catching function element can be integrated into every sliding element, or else a catching function element can be supported, in another way and manner, on the corresponding sliding elements.
In a further development of the invention, the catching function elements are rigidly connected with a common shaft, which is supported in the extending element transversely to the direction of extension of the surface structure. In a further development, the releasing device has an activating handle supported coaxially with the shaft connected with the catching function elements supported in a swivelable manner on the extending element. By means of these developments, the blocking of the surface structure can be ended by means of a simple swiveling of the activating handle into an at least partially extended working position, through which the surface structure can be automatically conveyed, by means of the coiled spring apparatus, into its resting position or into the next locking position located between the same. The blocking is preferably carried out in a form-locking manner by the catching function elements through the fact that catching points corresponding to the guiding sections are provided. The guiding sections are adjusted to the sliding elements in such a manner that a low-clearance sliding guidance results for the sliding elements as soon as the catching function elements are conveyed into their release position. The corresponding catching points for the catching function elements can also be positioned in a manner displaced laterally to the slide paths of the guiding sections for the sliding elements, so that the catching function elements themselves proceed outside of these slide paths.
In a further development of the invention, the activating handle is moved out opposite to its releasing function and, for the opposing guiding movement, engages with a restoring spring on the activating handle which, for the releasing function, exerts a torque on the activating handle. Thus, in the event that the activating handle is, for the conveying of the catching function elements into the release position, pressed obliquely downwardly and remains in this position oriented transversely downwardly during the rolling up of the surface structure, the ability to move out in the opposite direction ensures a free-running position in the event that the activating handle directed downwardly is guided upwardly by items of luggage located below the covering surface. Through this free-running function, no stresses which could impair the automatic retracting function of the surface structure are exerted on the front end area of the surface structure or on the extending element, despite the striking of the activating handle against corresponding items of luggage or transported objects during the moving back of the surface structure.
Further advantages and characteristics of the invention proceed from the claims, as well as from the following description of preferred examples of implementation of the invention, which are represented by means of the diagrams.